Feeding apparatus for ironing machines



Feb. 26, 1929;

c. P. JAHNKE FEEDING APPARATUS FOR IRONING IA CHINBS Filed Aug. 15, 1927Patented 26, 19293 "UNITED STATES PATENT 10F FICE- CHARLES r. JAHNKE, orMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FEEDING APPARATUS FORIVIRONING MACHINES.

Applicationfiled August 15, 1927. Serial No. 213,001,

This invention relates to apparatus for use in connection with fiatwork, ironlng machincry and especially to apparatus for evenly linen bythe corners to tension and smooth the same. The forward edge of thearticleof linen is usually disposed upon the apron in a straight lineand comes out of the machine properly ironechbut the rear edge of thearticle held in thermanner above described isfusually curved or archedandicomes out of the machine in. that manner. This is especially true oflarge articles, such as sheets, tablecloths, bed spreads, and the like.The curving or arching, moreover, often causes small wrinkles in thearticles of linen.

The main object of my invention isto pro vide a simple but highlyeflicient-feed ngapparatus WOIKIDg in co-operation with the feedingapron which will ,causcthe article ironed to be uniformly tensioned andfed evenlvto the roll throug'out'its'entire length, 1

positively preventing the article from wrinkling as well causinglthearticle when ironed to have rectilinear-"edges on all sides.

Itis a further object ofln y invention to provide in a feedingattachment for ironing machiner smoothin ratus for engaging the articlein co-operatmn with the usual feeding apron as it is fed into themachine, wherebyan even pressure-will be exerted on all parts of thearticle smoothingthesaine and causing thGStll'lC tobe perfectly fed tothe ironing rolls. r I 4 I r it is another object to provide apparatusof the class described, which maybe-easily perated and controlledpreferably by the foot of the operator.

A still further object is to provide efficient feeding and smoothingapparatus for: ironing machinery which may be readily 1nstalledoncommercial machinery now in use without reconstruction or alteration ofsaid machinery. f 1 l These and-other objects and'advant'ages of theinvention Will-be apparent from the fol- 2; and tensioning appalowingdescription made in connection with.

the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which, 7,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the forward or feeding end of a form ofcommercial ironing machine having a simple'embodiment of my inventionoperatively mounted thereon; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectionof the forward end of the machine shown in Fig. 1, having my apparatusattached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portionof the smoothing and tensioning brushapplied in connection, with the feeding apparatus;

Fig. 4 is, a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 isia diagrammatical view of a slightmodifiediform of theinvention; and

Fi 6 is a side elevation Ora slightly air 'ferent form of my invention,wherein the brush or smoothing element is driven in the reversedirectlon-to the travel of the apron.

As illustrated, myinvention is applied to a commercial ironing machineof standard type having the heavy upright'frame 6, the ironing, roll 7,vv journaled therein co-operating with the steamvchest '8 and havingmounted l at its forward end thefl usualapronstructure.

Asshown, thisapron structure comprises aplurality of endless ribbons 9trained over a relatively large ribbon feed'rollerlO and. a

relatively small rollerll disposed at the forward end of themachineprop'er and adjacent I the forward roller. The endless ribbons 9are tensioned passageover a tensioning roller 12. The rlbbon feedroller10,andtensioning roller are shown ]ournaled 1n a forwardly eX--tending bracket 13 which also supports the, I

usual shake out bar 14. Above the rear. end of apron 9 and disposedforwardly 'of the machine proper is mounted a finger guard 15 connectedwith operating inech anism-forstopof usual type swingabl'e on a rockshaft and ping the machine. Feed board brackets 16' a are provided ateachsideand beneath the rear portion of the apron.

My feeding apparatus as illustrated in Figs.

verselydisposed brush 17 of any suitable type, swingably disposed aboveand across tl1e;ribbons 9 ofthe apron and preferably situated 1 to 41:inclusive comprises angelong'ated trans- I forwardly ofthe finger guard15. Brush 17 is mounted between apair of L-shaped arms are pivoted tosaid feed board "brackets 16.

1 8, the shorter and rearwardends of which Arms 18 are swingableonhorizontal axes.

It will be seen thatbrush 17 is mounted in position to cont ct materialfed into the machine. Arms 18 are'provided with tareaded eyes 1.8 inwhich adjustable stop bolts 19 are secured. Bolts 19 depend from arms 18and their lower extremities engage the upper edges of the feed boardbrackets 16 limiting the downward position of the brush 17. Coiledsprings 20 surround bolts 19 and are interposed between the under sideof arms 18 and feed board brackets loadapted to yieldingly hold thebrush in raised position a short distance above the top of tie feedingapron. The movement oi arms 18 is so slight that springs 20 need only beloosely disposed about adjustable stop bolts 19.

As illustrated inl igs. 1, and 2, a'pedal operating mecl'ianism isprovided comprising a horizontally pivoted rock shalt illjoufnaledforwardly of the forward end of the machine and having pedal rigidlysecured th reto. A pair oi rocker arms 23 rigidly secured to shaft 21adjacent the ends tl'iereot are connected with the outer portions ot thebrush arms 18 by means o'l" links or rods it lll.

be noticed that my pedal structure as shomi extends across the entirefront oi tl nachine for the convenient manipulation or the operators.

Operation.

The operation of the term ol the invention illustrated in F 1 toinclusive, may be briefly described tie-follows:

Twoopcrators, one at each side of the feeding end the machine place thelinen on apron 9 taking care to draw the corners oi? the forward ed g'ethereof taut to maize a rectilinear edge. One of: the operators thendepresses the pedal 22, putting the requisite amount or tension on thelinen through brush 17, in co-operation with the traveling ribbons 9 andsmoothing the linen in its movement into the rolls. It will be seen thatbrush 17 will smooth the articles evenly and uniformly and will moreoverapply the requisite tension in such a manner that it will be unnecessaryfor the operator to hold the lower corners oi the article. The positionof bolt 19 may be obviously variedto adjust the position or engagementof the brush 17 against the linen. The pedal is, of course, released bythe operator simultaneously with. the application of another artic o tothe apron.

Extensive usage oil this device has shown 't to be highly e'llici-eutfor the purposes intended and the sheets. table cloths, bed spreads, andother titles ironec by a mamachine supplied with my device come out inexcellent shape with all edges thereof rectilinear.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a novice similar in all respects to the devicepreviously described with the exception that it is operated by gravityin -0136121310Il with a magnetic coil. As illustrated, hanger arms 26are supported from the feed board brackets having angularly bent upperends. Magnetic coils 27 are mounted from the upper ends of saidhangerarmsdisposed above and substantially alined with the outer ends of brusharms 18 and are connecteo with a suitable source of electricity,

' a switch 28 being supplied in the circuit. In

this term of the invention the brush head is formed or sutlicientlyheavy material to permit gravity to readily drop the same againstarticles traveling on the apron and to sup ply the requisite tension forsmoothing the article and causing them to feed properly. A dash pct 29may be supplied beneath the outer ends of arms 18 to check the violenceof the downwardmovement ot' the brush. Ubviously, when the circuitthrough coil 27 is completed, brush 17 will. be lifted from engagementwith the apron or article on the apron and held in elevated positionthrough electromas ietism. suitable structure'to permit operation thereor by the ieet and will be disposed forwardly of the "feeding end of theironing machine and pretorably upon the floor :t'or' the convenientmanipulation of the operator. When the circuit through coils E2? isclosed brush 1'? will, of course, be lifted from engagementwith theapron or article upon the apron. and. will be held slightly elevatedtherefrom to .enabl'e another article of linen to be fed to the machine.

A slightly diilerent form "of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 6,being a trifle more con'iplicated in structure, and preferably ofslightly greater eificiency than the device previously described. Inthis form of the device the swingable brush arms 18 are identical withthe brush arms in the first form's described and the dependingadjustable stop bolts 19 are provided, adapted to engage the upper edgeof the feed board brackets 16 to limit the downward movement of arms 18and'coiled springs 20 surround the depending The switch QSwill be ofends of bolts 19 yieldingly holding'the arms 18 in upware position whenpressure is removed from pedal 22. The brush 17 supplied in this term ofthe invention is" or the rotary type having trunniens 83 journals:

in the outer ends of arms 18. One ofsaid trunnions 33 is provided withafpulley 31. drivably connected tea pulley 32b means of endless belt 30,pulley being rigidlyconnected with the shaft of the ribbon, teed rollerit). There is such slight movement re quired'in the operation of arms18that the endless belt 30 will sutiice to connect rotary brush li 'withthe ribbon feed roller for driving, being in line of greatest tensionwhen the brush is moving into engagen'ient with the linen. llod connectsthe outer ends of arms 18 with the pedal operating mechanism (not shown,but which is identical with the operating mechanism shown in Fig. 2.). jI

t will be seen th t in the term of the in 'ention just described brush17" is rotated in the opposite direction from the movement of It will,of course, be understood that vari- I one changes may be made in theform, details, arrangement and proportions of the, parts withoutdeparting from the scope of the in vention. What is claimed is: p 1. Incombination with the feeding apron of an ironing-machine or the like, anelonated yielding element disposed transversely above said apron, meanscontrollable by the foot of an operator for moving said element out ofor into engagement with articles carried by said apron to smooth saidarticles and cause even feeding of the same to the ironing mechanism ofsaid machine.

2. In combination with the feeding apron of an ironing machine or thelike, an elongated yielding element disposed transversely above saidapron, swingable arms supporting said elongated element and pivoted tosaid machine forswinging movement on sub stantially horizontal axes, andmeans controllableby the feet of an operator for moving said elongatedelement out of or into engagementfwith articles carried by said apron tosmooth said articles and cause even feeding of the same to the ironingmechanism of said machine. v

3. In combination withthe feeding apron ofan ironing machineor the like,an elongated brush disposed transversely above said apron having a pairof swingable arms pivzontal axes and supporting said brush,'pedaloperatmg means for swinging said arms to move said brush in or out ofengagement with -oted. to said machine on substantially horiarticlescarried by said apron, and adjustable H means for limiting the downwardmovement of said arms.

4. In combination with the feeding apron of an ironingmachine or thelike, an elongated yielding element disposed transversely above saidapron, resilient means for normallyholding said element out ofengagement with said apron, and means by which said element may be movedagainst said apron to smooth articles carried thereby to cause an evenfeeding of the same to the working members of said ironing machine orthe like.

5. In combination with the feeding apron of an 1ron1ng machine or thelike, a smoothlngelement disposed transversely above said apron, meansfor rotatably supporting said v smoothing element with freedom formovement against or away from said apron, means for rotating saidsmoothing element, and

means for moving-the same into or out of en- 3 'a 'ement with articlescarried by said apron to smooth said articles.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

CHARLES P. JAHNKE;

